EXCLUSIVE: S Club pay a moving tribute to late band member Paul Cattermole as they open Good Times reunion tour: ‘Gone but you will never be forgotten, we miss you every day’
S Club paid tribute to late band member Paul Cattermole when they kicked off their Good Times tour in Manchester on Thursday.
Pop stars Tina Barrett, John Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O’Meara and Rachel Stevens took to the stage at the AO Arena for the 25th anniversary tour.
After classics Don’t Stop Moving and You’re Me Number One, the band left the stage and the lights went down.
A video montage of Paul appeared on the big screens at the venue in honor of the singer who died of natural causes aged 46 in April this year.
Nostalgic footage of him performing his favorite song The Good Times silenced the audience as they were overcome with emotion.
Tribute: S Club paid tribute to late band member Paul Cattermole as they kicked off their Good Times tour in Manchester on Thursday (L-R: Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O’Meara, Rachel Stevens and Tina Barrett)
Late star: Paul died suddenly of natural causes aged 46 and was found dead on April 6 this year – just two months after he and the band announced they were going on a comeback tour (Paul pictured in February this year)
Doing their thing: The now five-piece all wore colorful ensembles for their comeback – minus Paul’s ex Hannah, who left the band
Returning to the stage after the tribute, a breathless John, 41, shouted: ‘Manchester, let me hear you raise the roof one last time for Paul!’
As the group descended the stairs, Bradley, 42, said, his voice shaking: “Wow, that’s our brother, man.
“Gone but you will never be forgotten.” We miss you every day.’
Each member took a moment to dedicate the show to Paul.
Jo, 44, said: “Thank you all so much. All the messages and the love and support you all have shown for us and Paul’s family – we are so grateful to each and every one of you.
‘I would just like to see each and every one of you here now to show us your hearts for our Paul!’
Jon said: ‘Thank you very much. This evening is obviously special for us. we dedicate this performance to Paul and The British Heart Foundation.’
Tina, 47, said: “It’s a celebration tonight so let’s bring it back for Paul!”
In concert: Pop stars (L-R) Joe O’Meara, John Lee, Rachel Stevens, Bradley McIntosh and Tina Barrett took to the stage at the AO Arena for their 25th anniversary tour
As an additional tribute to Paul, S Club performed a song they wrote in memory of the star – These Are The Dais.
Tina introduced the song with the words: “People have been asking me for twenty years – when are you going to release new music?” So we thought this year, let’s do it.’
Bradley added: “And we did. We dedicate this song to Paul and all the memories we shared.’
Pavle died suddenly of natural causes at the age of 46 was found dead on April 6 this year – just two months after he and the band announced they were going on a comeback tour.
His body was discovered in his ground floor flat in Wareham, Dorset, leaving his bandmates and fans devastated.
Paul, who made his living as a tarot reader after leaving S Club 7 in 2002, said he was in ‘good spirits’ when he was seen in a park near his home a few days earlier.
Memories: Nostalgic footage of him performing his favorite song The Good Times silenced the audience as they were overcome with emotion (Tina, left, and Joe, right, pictured on stage)
Entertainers: S Club kicked off the tour in Manchester on Thursday and will be performing at a number of different venues across the UK until their final gig in Birmingham on October 29 (Rachel pictured on stage)
Performance: They are due to fly to America next month for six shows before taking to the stage for one in Canada (Jon pictured on stage)
His ex-girlfriend and fellow S Club 7 star Hannah Sperritt was said to be ‘in pieces’ after being told the news.
After his death, the band was renamed S Club and vowed to continue touring again.
Hannah, 42, pulled out of the tour and has since admitted she doesn’t know if she’ll ever sing with S Club again.
She opened up about how ‘everything’ changed for her after Paul’s death and gave her time to think about whether rejoining the band was the right thing to do.
Hannah said Sun: ‘Will I ever perform with them again? I just don’t know, I’m glad the tour is still going on and the songs will live on, but now I’m looking forward, not back.’
She explained that after Paul’s death, she realized she couldn’t rejoin the S Club on tour, admitting that ‘it just didn’t feel right’.
Hannah apologized to S Club fans for not choosing to leave, but said she had to do what was best for herself and her family.
Devastating: Paul was found dead just two months after he and the band announced they were going on a comeback tour (clockwise from top left: Paul, John, Bradley, Tina, Hannah Spirit, Joe and Rachel pictured as they announced tour in February)
Heidai: (L-R) Paul, Tina, Bradley, Joe, Rachel, John and Hannah are seen in Los Angeles, California in 1999 as the band film their BBC TV series in the US
Actress Hannah has revealed she hasn’t been in touch with her former bandmates since leaving the band, admitting she’s sad she hasn’t but insisted she wishes them “all the best”.
Hannah and Paul dated since 2001 before splitting in 2006, with the pair rekindling their romance in 2015 before finally splitting just months later.
S Club kicked off the tour at Manchester’s AO Arena on Thursday and will be playing at a number of different venues across the UK until their final show in Birmingham on October 29.
They are then due to fly to America next month for six shows before hitting the stage for one in Canada.
Devastating: Paul’s ex-girlfriend and fellow S Club 7 star Hannah Spirit said she was ‘in pieces’ after being told the news of his death and later pulled out of the tour (Paul and Hannah pictured in 2004)